PM 10-04-03: Income of an Excluded Spouse/Civil Union Partner

Determine the ability of a spouse/civil union partner in the home to support his or her husband/wife/partner who is included in the TANF unit. Use the excluded spouse's income when determining eligibility and benefit amount for the TANF unit.

An employed spouse/civil union partner in the home is entitled to all earned income deductions except the 3/4 income deduction. See PM 08-01-02 for earned income deductions.

If the husband/wife/civil union partner of the spouse/partner is not included in the TANF unit due to an exception to filing unit (e.g., receives SSI), do not budget the income of the spouse/civil union partner against the RPY case.

See PM 10-04-02 to divert income to meet the needs of the excluded spouse/civil union partner and his or her dependents who are not included in the TANF unit.

Adding the Spouse/Civil Union Partner as an Optional Person

When the excluded spouse/civil union partner has only earned income, it may be financially beneficial for the customer to request that the spouse/civil union partner be added to the unit. This is because of the 3/4 earned income deduction which applies only to those individuals in the TANF case. When the spouse/civil union partner has unearned income, it may not be financially beneficial for the person to be included. Whenever the spouse/civil union partner has income, discuss with the customer the option of including the person in the TANF unit.